VERSACELF

VERSACELF

By: Kissyfit

Chapter One

Hermione Granger, age twenty-six, was one of the most prominent witches in all of England, perhaps even in wizarding Europe. After the war, Hermione had set out to become an Auror along side her best friends, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. She went through part of the training, but never felt as thought she fit in with the crowd, much like her first few weeks at Hogwarts.

*~*

It was cloudy outside as Hermione stood in front of a full-length mirror. Her reflection smiled right back and nodded in approval of the simple black blouse and pink pencil skirt. After one last turn in front of her mirror, Hermione slipped on a pair of heels and stepped out of the bedroom into her sitting room. At her desk was a WIZLOT, the wizarding world's version of the palm pilot. It held all her appointments for that day, as well as several phone interviews, one photo shoot, and lunch with Harry.

Hermione grabbed her purse and jacket and Apparated to work.

*~*

VERSACELF, the wizarding world's most prestigious and coveted company for clothing and interior designs. A woman, in her mid-twenties, walked through the doors of the building built in Diagon Alley waving to several people who were milling about having coffee and tea at the small stand that was set up for employees. She smiled broadly seeing a few photographers who had decided to stake out the lobby area for anyone of importance who may walk by.

"Ms. Granger! Over here!" A photographer managed to snap a photo of Hermione before she Apparated to her office on the top floor.

Hermione was the president of VERSACELF, making her one of the youngest witches in the corporate wizarding world to hold such a title. Not that anyone expected any less of the brightest witch to come from Hogwarts in the last century.

It was by chance really, that she became such a coveted designer of wizard couture and interior décor. Her mother had met a woman by the name of Donatella Versace at a fundraiser in London and learned from speaking to the woman about her daughter, that Donatella happened to be familiar with the wizarding world herself. She was part-veela, born to a wizard and a muggle-born witch. After her first summer home from the Auror Training Academy, Hermione had the opportunity to meet Donatella, and soon after, under Donatella's tutelage, became immersed in the intricacies and glamour of the design industry. She, with the help and funding from Donatella, soon launched the wizarding worlds most exclusive and at times, expensive, design empire bearing the Versace name...with a bit of a twist.

Hermione's eye for detail was particularly useful in creating many of her designs. Her clothes that she designed stunning and classis, demure, but alluring at the same time. The furniture and interior designs were the same. Hermione incorporated her vast knowledge of Art History and wizarding common life to create designs that were modern and muggle-inspired, yet practical to a witch or wizard.

Donatella named Hermione the president of the company that she helped launch. Staying exclusively in the muggle world, Donatella gave Hermione mostly the full run of all company affairs, except for the executive board members. The majority were family friends of Donatella's with whom she had kept a polite correspondence with throughout the years.

So on that cloudy day, Hermione arrived at her office, greeted her assistant, Trili, and sat down to research different types of columns she could use in her next project before it was even eight in the morning.

*~*

Harry sat impatiently at World of Mirth, a small café in Diagon Alley. It was where he regularly lunched with Hermione when he was not on duty. Ron, unfortunately, had been detained to Iceland to investigate unusual dark activity in the area. He tapped his foot, constantly checking his watch. Since the end of the war with Voldemort in his seventh year at Hogwarts, there was still a considerable amount of dark magic floating about the wizarding world in an attempt to renew interest in Voldemort's ideology. Personally, Harry thought his current job was a bit trite, but he was patiently awaiting a possible promotion to Minister of Muggle Relations to come through. Harry checked his watch again.

Hermione was late.

"Mister Potter Sir! A pleasure, as always, to see you here! It's been a dreadfully slow week, and well, your presence in the shop is sure to cause a stir, eh?" Harry looked up, a bit of an annoyed expression on his face, and saw the voice to belong to Druscilla Marnage, the owner of the café. Druscilla, like many, still regarded Harry as a celebrity, although he had done nothing impressive in the last ten years. Harry merely smiled at her and felt relieved when Hermione chose that moment to walk through the doors.

"I am so sorry I'm late. My last client was an absolute nightmare, and was quite devastated when I told her it would cost nearly thirty-thousand Galleons to decorate her home the way she wants me to. Oh, hullo Dru!" Hermione looked a bit disheveled, but managed to maintain her composure. "Harry and I will take the usual, thanks."

"Two orders of Shepherd's Pie comin' right up Hermione!" Druscilla gave a final nod to her two customers and hurried to the back, no doubt owling The Daily Prophet that Harry and Hermione were dining at her café.

"Honestly," said Harry, "we have been dining here for five years now, and that woman is still as star-struck as ever. Oh, and by the way, you're twenty minutes late."

"I already apologized Harry! I told you, Mrs. Needs was a bit hard to calm down."

Harry looked at the woman sitting across from him. He still found it hard to believe that mousy, know-it-all Granger had turned into an absolute beauty by their seventh year and exuded such confidence that he never realized she was capable of. And to top it off, she was in the fashion industry, something he expected out of Lavender Brown or Pansy Parkinson, but never Hermione. He gave a small chuckle as his drink appeared before him.

"What are you laughing at Potter?" Hermione glared at him from across the table. "Well, forget it, I don't care. So, what's new then?"

"I've been well. Ginny and I broke it off; it was too weird after all this time. Ron is in Iceland, but I'm sure he owled you all the details, and well, you'll never believe this, but Draco Malfoy was spotted at the Ministry the other day."

Hermione grimaced at the sound of her former classmate's name. Ten years had passed since either Harry or Hermione had seen Draco. Last they heard, he entered some sort of agreement with the Ministry after the war in exchange for names of death eaters.

"Malfoy? That prat. Well, I'm sure he's skulking around there for a job. I heard that his trust fund finally ran out."

"Actually, I was at the Ministry to renew my Apparition license. And for the record, Malfoys do not skulk."

Harry and Hermione both looked over in the direction of where the voice had come from. There were very few people in the café. A blond man, impeccably dressed, was smirking at them from across the room.

Draco sauntered over to their table, pulled up a chair, and made himself at home. He was obviously loving the appalled looks he was receiving from Harry and Hermione.

"So nice to see you both. I'm not at all surprised to see you're both still hung up on my life after all these years."

"You weren't invited over Malfoy," said Hermione through clenched teeth, "please leave."

"Oh, but I so wanted to hear what you and Super-Potter had to say about what I was doing at the Ministry. Afraid it was something sinister, Potter?"

Harry said nothing. He just glared daggers at Draco's direction.

"Well," said Draco, pushing his chair back, "I was never much into the strong silent type." He got up and nodded towards Harry. His gaze fell on Hermione, "And I don't care much for the nouveau riche either Granger. Congratulations though, I heard that little company of yours has done quite well. I am sure that your previous success as Potter's right-hand warrior had nothing to do with it. I did think that publishing that picture of the three of you grinning wildly over Voldemort's body was a tacky and morbid way to gain clients." And with that, Draco returned to his table, dropped a few coins, and left the café.

Hermione and Harry were speechless for a few moments after Draco left. They quietly resumed their lunch mentioning Malfoy's name only once since he left them, and that was to call him the reason contraceptive charms were invented.

*~*

"Damn it!"

Hermione was seated at her desk. After her and Harry's unfortunate encounter with Malfoy earlier that afternoon, she was finding it difficult to concentrate on the rest of her designs, such as the interior of Mrs. Needs new flat, as well as the bridal gown she was designing for her old chum, Parvati Patil, who incidentally was marrying Seamus Finnigan.

Her desk was filled with different sketches and various fabric swatches. A team of designers were working in her office pitching ideas to Hermione and working on their own designs. Frustrated, Hermione picked up her purse, gave a curt good-bye to her design team and left her office.

Taking her jacket from the hook by the door, Hermione stopped to let her assistant know that she was taking the rest of the day off.

"Owl or ring me if anything comes up," Hermione called out to Trili just before she Apparated.

Within seconds, she was standing in front of Flourish and Blotts, deciding that a nice new book and perhaps that wine that she was owled last week by a new client would be just what she needed to unwind for the night. Hermione entered the store and took a deep breath. She may be in the design industry, but her love of books never died. A store clerk recognized her and gave Hermione a friendly wave. With a smile, Hermione began to walk through the aisles looking for new additions to her home library.

"Well well, nice to see you again Granger."

Malfoy. Of all the people to run into at her place of solace, it had to be the person she still harboured so much hate for after all these years. No matter how 'nice' or 'changed' the gossip rags pegged him to be, Draco Malfoy was still a snake in Hermione's eyes.

"Out of my way. I'm trying to enjoy the last part of my afternoon."

Malfoy smirked, "Tsk, tsk. Playing hooky from work? So the rumours of you being the hardest working witch were wrong." He followed her to group of chairs set around a large coffee table the shop had set up for its patrons. He sat across from her, legs propped up on the table, his smirk still gracing his face.

"Whatever you have to say, Malfoy, I really don't give a damn. If you don't mind, I am trying to enjoy this book, and your company is spoiling the moment."

"Touchy, aren't we Granger? Can't an old school-mate catch up with you, or has all your fame and fortune gone to your head?"

"I was never your 'mate'," scoffed Hermione. "And unlike you and your family, I have never held my position in the wizarding world against those less fortunate than I. Again, I am asking you, leave."

Draco stood up, and Hermione felt a wave of relief wash over her. He walked towards her and sat down on the coffee table directly in front of her.

"But why should I leave? I was enjoying looking up your skirt from across this table." Hermione gasped and blushed to her temples, all the while pulling the hem of her skirt down.

"Malfoy, I think this conversation is over. Good day." Picking up the books beside her, Hermione rushed up, but was held back by Draco's firm grip on her arm. He stood up, nearly towering over her by a good five inches. He pulled her closer to him and leaned down, his breath catching in her ear. "Don't you fret, we'll be talking sooner than later."

Hermione jerked her arm from his clutch and stared incredulously at him.

"What?"

"What?" mimicked Draco in a high-pitched voice. He circled Hermione, who, in her bewildered state, looked more like a lost child of sixteen, than the twenty-six year old woman she was.

"Well, see, after our little spat in the café, I thought I would ring up an old family friend..."

"No..."

"Oh, you know where I'm going with this do you?"

As the words came out of Draco's mouth, Hermione paled. As soon as he finished speaking, she snatched up her purse and left the store as quickly as she could. Draco looked down and saw that she did not purchase the book she was browsing.

The book in hand, Draco went up to the register, and soon left the store himself.

*~*

"Open your bloody door Potter! I know you're in there! OPEN UP! Alohamo..."

"Merlin, what in the world is your problem?! Having a bit of trouble owling or ringing someone up before banging the hell out of their door?"

Harry stood at the door wrapped in only a sheet. Hermione gave him a sly look and peered into the flat. Various articles of clothing were strewn all over the front living room.

"Did I come at a bad time?" Hermione asked innocently.

"Yes," Harry hissed through clenched teeth. "I happen to have a lovely young lady lying in my bed unsatisfied due to your untimely interruption."

Hermione pushed past Harry, who couldn't very well block her for fear of dropping his sheet. Hermione dropped her bag on the sofa and looked back at him.

"Well, satisfy her later, I need to talk to you, and it's far too exhausting to Apparate to Iceland and barge in on Ron." She began to quiver her lower lip and opened her brown eyes as far as she could.

"Oh stop it," Harry huffed as he shut the door, "Damn it, this better be important!"

Hermione kicked some knickers and a lacy bra to the side as she made her way to her favourite chair. A few moments later, she saw the clothes that were on the floor levitating towards Harry's bedroom, and, shortly after the clothes had made their way to the back of the flat, a stunning blond stomped out, glared at Hermione, and then marched out the door. Following her dramatic exit was Harry, still clad on a sheet. He sat down on the couch and looked at Hermione. She was now rubbing her temples and muttering nonsense under her breath.

"So, to what do I owe this mid-shag interruption? And remember, this better be good because I just got slapped by Apexia Kishi."

"The super model?" Harry nodded and conjured up a teapot and two mugs and began to pour himself and Hermione some tea.

"Well? I'm waiting for the grand explanation."

Hermione sipped her tea, "Oh, well, I was lolling about at work reading Playwitch, you know, just for the articles, and I thought, 'Wouldn't it be wild if I just showed up at Harry's and offered to shag him senseless with all the new positions I've just read about.' A few moments later I was at your front door. Now, I'm here, ready to take Apexia's seconds."

Harry stared at Hermione. For a split second he thought she was being serious, then he laughed aloud.

"Merlin, for a moment there I thought you being bloody serious." Hermione's expression did not change. "You...you weren't serious, were you?"

Smiling, Hermione took another sip of her tea. "No, don't be stupid. If I wanted to shag you, Harry, I would already be naked in your bed right now. You know I hate small talk."

"So why are you here? Why did you bang the hell out of my door? Why did I have to make Apexia leave?! Are you here to chew me out for making you pay for lunch? I would have paid but left my money bag in the office and by the time I would have gotten ba..."

"Shut up Harry. Honestly, you just run your mouth these days. I don't care if I pay for all our lunches out. I am here because I just received the most dreadful news and I am on my way to Corsica, but I thought I would stop by and tell you first, just in case I end up in Azkaban for murder."

"So tell me already! Why did I have to make the poster-woman for sex leave my home? Is it that 'time,' you know, that you women have and you act all wonky..."

"It's called a period," sighed Hermione," And no, that's not it. Well, see, I was a bit put off by seeing Malfoy at lunch so I took the afternoon off and wandered over to Flourish and Blotts to grab a good read to clear my mind. So who do I run into? Malfoy! He peeked up my skirt, then tells me that Donatella Versace, the woman who made me to who I am today happens to be an old Malfoy family friend, so he snags himself the position of President of the Board of Trustees, meaning he gets to tell me what to do. This means that I now have to dance around that ferret every time I want something done. So I am running to Corsica for a bit where Donatella is on holiday, resigning as President of Versacelf, castrating, and perhaps ripping out Malfoy's tongue, then I thought, perhaps, you and I could do lunch tomorrow?"

There was a moment of silence that was then broken by Harry jumping up. "That is the stupidest thing that I have ever heard anyone tell me in the last twenty-four hours, even more stupid than the owl Ron sent me last night telling me that his shit looked like a redcap! This little 'issue' you're having did not, I repeat, did not warrant a shag interruption, especially if the person I was with was bloody Apexia Kishi!" Harry stomped off and Hermione heard his bedroom door slam. Getting up herself, she walked down the hall and knocked softly on Harry's door.

"Harry? Harry! Please don't be cross with me! You know how I feel about Malfoy! He just irritates me and knowing that he is the boss, one rung above me is going to drive me mad! Please come out and convince me that it's not right to inflict severe pain on him!"

Harry opened the door dressed in slacks and a button down shirt still opened. He grabbed Hermione by the arm and let her towards the front door. Opening it, he pushed Hermione out, threw her purse out the door and blocked her from coming back in with his body.

"You interrupted my this afternoon in what could have been the most fantastic afternoon in my sex-life to tell me that Malfoy snuck a peek at your knickers and that he's now your new boss? Look, 'Mione, I don't care much for him, but honestly, Ron and I always snuck peeks up your skirts. You always did give a lovely view." Hermione gaped at Harry, who ignored her and continued. " As for Malfoy being the new president of the board, deal with it. You still get to keep your great job, make loads of money, be on the cover of magazines, still be seen as a respected witch, and just continue living your life as you always have. All you have to do is grow up, get over Malfoy and his antics, ignore him! You are far to important to have Donatella accept your resignation, so thank you for the interruption, have a lovely weekend, and NEVER EVER make me send another woman home just because you had a fight with Malfoy."

And with that, Harry slammed the door on a shocked a speechless Hermione.